Golf club



Oct. 9, 1934- A. E. BUHRKE El AL GOLF CLUB Filed May 31, 1932 Mr/Z,

Patented Get. 9, 1934 STAT ATE

GOLF CLUB Application May 31, 1932, Serial No. 614,346

8 Claims.

The invention relates to a new and improved construction of golf clubs, particularly to the construction of a golf club of the type commonly referred to as an iron club, that is, having a metallic head with an integral metallic shank to which and within which is attached a tubular metallic shaft.

The primary object of the invention is to provide improved means in a golf club of the described character for securing a tubular metallic golf club shaft in the hosel of the metallic shank of an iron club head.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved construction for securing a tubular metallic shaft in the hosel of the shank of a metallic golf club head to avoid the use of securing means or methods of treatment of the tubular metallic shaft or the metal in the shank of the club head which might tend to weaken the joint between the shaft and the head since it is found 20 that any cutting or drilling, especially of the comparatively thin walls of the tubular metallic shaft, or heat treatment of the joint, necessarily tends to weaken the shaft and render the same more liable to crystallization and failure at that point.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description which is directed to the preferred. embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the drawing forming a part of the specification, the novel features being set forth in the appended claims.

In the said drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view partly in section showing a metallic golf club head and a fragment of that part of the tubular metallic shaft of the club in section, the major portion of the shaft, including the usual handle grip part, being omitted since the portion of the tubular shaft broken away forms no part of the present invention and may be of the usual or any ordinary construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of forming the hosel at the outer end of the shank of the iron head to provide a socket for receiving the lower end of the tubular metallic shaft.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the hosel socket with a part of my improved shaft locking mechanism seated at the bottom of the shaft socket.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing a fragmentary portion of the lower connecting end of the tubular shaft inserted in the hosel in position to be locked therein.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the preferred manner of introducing the companion locking member of the two-part. locking. device to the interior of the hosel through the hollow interior of the tubular metallic shaft.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating the completed form of the two-part locking device in a normal assembled relation for permanently securing the metallic tubular shaft in the hosel.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line 'l7 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and Fig. 8 is a detailed elevation view showing in separated relation the two-part shaft locking device.

The invention is adapted for use only in connection with tubular metallic shafted clubs provided with metallic hosels or shank sockets and in the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the reference character 10 designates a metallic golf club head of conventional form provided with the usual integral, somewhat extended shank 11. The shank 11 will be preferably, although not necessarily, tapered downwardly from its upper extremity toward the point of intersection of the shank with the blade of the head. The metallic tubular shaft, the fragment of the lower end of which only is shown in the drawing (Figs. 1 and 4 to '7 inclusive) will preferably, although not necessarily,- be drawn at its lower extremity, broken sectional portions of which are shown in the drawing, to a slight taper and the hosel opening 13 for receiving the lower extremity of the metallic tubular shaft 12 will be bored at the outer end of the shank to receive the lower end of the tubular metallic shaft, such bore being shown most clearly in Fig. 2 and preferably tapered when the co-operating extremity of the tubular metallic shaft 12 is tapered, the bore 13 being preferably formed so as to receive the lower extremity of the shaft 12 as a snug or drive fit. When the lower extremity of the tubular metallic shaft 12 is formed with the preferred slight taper, a corresponding formation will be given to the tubular interior of the shaft which will tend to expedite the easy introduction into the hollow interior of the shaft 12, designated by the reference character 14, (Figs. 1 and 4 to 6 inclusive) of the wedging or expanding member 15 of the two-part co-operating locking device as illustrated in Fig. 8, a socketed cooperating portion of which is designated generally by the reference character 16. The hosel opening 13 in the shank 11 may be conveniently formed at its lower extremity with an abrupt conical bottom as indicated at 17 under which conditions the lower extremity of the socketed locking member 16 will be shaped accordingly as indicated at 18 (Fig. 8) so that when the socketed locking member 16 is introduced into the hosel opening 13 in a manner illustrated in Fig. 3, the head portion of the socketed member 16 as designated by the reference character 19, will be a snug or drive fit completely filling the bottom of the hosel opening 13 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 to 6 inclusive. The socketed part 16 of the two-part locking device will preferably have the head portion 19 knurled in the manner illustrated most clearly in Fig. 8 and such member, being formed preferably of steel which may, after being given the desired formation and knurling, be hardened by well-known casehardening or tempering methods or may be formed of a previously tempered or annealed grade of steel, will accordingly, when forced to the bottom of the hosel opening in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, be caused to slightly out into and grip very tightly the walls of the hosel opening so that the removal of the same after it is once driven to its seated position in the bottom of the hosel opening as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 to 6 inclusive, will be difficult or impossible, a result which is facilitated if the hosel opening be given a slight taper as described and preferred.

The socketed portion 16 of the two-part locking device will be formed above the knurled head 19 with a correspondingly knurled and reduced ex tension 20 bored on its interior as shown most clearly at 21 in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, the bore 21, substantially cylindrical in form and preferably with a slightly conical recess at the bottom thereof as illustrated in the drawing to receive the distinctly tapered and downwardly projecting shank 22 of the expanding member 15 of the twopart locking device, the lower extremity of which is preferably given the conical shape as indicated at 23 in Fig. 8 which assists in the introduction of the expanding shank 22 into the upper end of the reduced and vertically knurled part 20 of the socketed member 16, expansion of the same upon the introduction of the conical shank 22 of the expanding member 15 being expedited by reason of the fact that the knurled, reduced portion 20 of the sooketed part of the locking device, is split or severed by one or more diametrical kerfs or slots extending from the upper extremity of the reduced knurled portion 20 downwardly to the head 19.

Two diametrically extending kerfs located at right angles to each other as designated by the reference character 2d are shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to 8 inclusive, these kerfs extending from the upper end of the reduced, knurled portion 20 of the socketed locking member 16 down to the enlarged knurled head portion 19 thereof.

The expanding member 15 of the locking device will be provided above the conical shank 22 with a knurled cylindrical head 25 of a size as illustrated in the assembled views Figs. 1, 5 and 6 to substantially be seated with a drive fit on the interior of the bore 14 of the shaft 12 when the two-part locking device is in its assembled looking relation as illustrated in Fig. 6 and thus the knurled head 25 will seat itself in the inner wall 14 of the shaft with a gripping action as the parts are driven together so that the tubular lower end of the metallic shaft 12 will be firmly gripped within the hosel of the shank 11 and the removal of the shaft without destruction of the parts made substantially impossible or impractical.

Other details of the construction of the twopart locking device comprising the aforesaid members 15 and 16 will be found in the preferred flattened upper extremity of the head 25 which enables it to take a supplemental driving rod or shaft designated by the reference character 30 which may be used as a tool for engaging the head 25 as a ram to force the expanding member 15 with its conical shank 22 to its seat within the split portion 20 of the socketed member 16.

Other preferred details of the locking device of Fig. 8 consist in a taper given to the upper extremities of the split portions of the reduced knurled part 20, which taper is both internal and external as designated, for example, at 28 in Figs. 5 and 8, the internal taper at 28 being convenient for co-operating with the tapered lower extremity 23 of the expanding locking member 15 while the outer peripheral taper is an advantage in co-operating with the lower extremity of the tubular metallic shaft 12 when the latter is being driven downwardly into the hosel with a drive fit after the introduction of the socketed member 15 into the hosel opening as illustrated in Fig. 3, the condition of the shaft 12 in relation to the parts being illustrated in Fig. 4.

Another feature of the construction of the twopart locking device shown in Fig. 8 is that the outer conical surface of the conical shank 22 may be slightly roughened around its periphery preferably in a spiral formation, such grooves being very slight and capable of being formed by the use of a cutting tool in a screw machine when the member 15, is being formed. This roughened condition of the conical shank portion 22, when the part is driven home to expand the lock in the manner illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 tends to hold these metallic parts together with a gripping action that precludes the possibility of unintended separation of the two-part locking device 15, 16.

From the foregoing description, the mode of operation and assembly of the various parts will be understood without further details, it being sufficient to observe that when the socketed part 16 of the locking device is ready for seating in the bottom of the hosel opening, it may, especially when the hosel is slightly conical, as preferred, be started by merely dropping the part into the upper end of the opening and it may be rammed home to its seat by the use of the tubular metallic shaft 12 which will readily surround the radial kerfed and reduced portion 20 and seating itself upon the shoulder formed on the upper portion of the head 19 and thus enable the parts to be seated by tapping or driving on the outer end of the tubular metallic shaft 12.

Optionally, however, the socketed locking part 16 may be first introduced into the shank opening 13 and driven to its seat by means of a driving rod similar to the one indicated at 30 in Fig. 5 which is shown causing the reduced lower end of locking member 15 to enter the bore 21 which latter may be removed after the part 16 is seated and following which the shaft 12 inserted and upon contacting with the bevelled upper extremity 28 of the socketed locking member, the shaft may then be driven home to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 by tapping on the upper end thereof, following which, the expanding member 15 of the locking device may be introduced on the interior of the tubular metallic shaft and upon reaching the socketed locking portion 16 of the locking device within the hosel, it may be driven home by a suitable rod 30 or other elongated tool and cause the parts to be firmly seated and locked within the hosel opening in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6.

The relative sizes of the various co-operating parts and locking surfaces of the two-part looking device 15, 16, if carefully formed, will register as in substantially the manner illustrated in Fig. 6 when assembled and the parts forcibly driven together, it being preferred that the shank 22 of the expanding device 15 will be a little shorter than the normal opening 21 on the interior of the socketed part 16 of the locking device so that when suitable force is applied in ramming the conical shank 22 of the part 15 to its seat, the thin and bevelled upper extremity 28 of the split knurled socket portion 20 will be turned outwardly and expanded into an impinging and binding relation peripherally around the inner wall of the metallic shaft, thus binding the shaft 12 into the hosel of the shank of the club head in a manner to effectively resist separation of the shaft and the shank unless accompanied by the destruction or effacement of one or more parts involved.

In order that the invention might be understood, the details of the preferred embodiment have been specifically illustrated and described but it is not desired to be limited to such details except as set forth in the claims since it will be apparent that persons skilled in the art may resort to various modifications without departing from the purpose and spirit of our inventicn.

We claim:

1. In a golf club, a club head portion provided with an elongated shank having a central bore, a tubular metallic handle shaft adapted to fit snugly within said central bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tubular metallic handle shaft within the said bore of the shank, comprising a two-part locking device, one part of which is adapted to be inserted into the shank hereof the club head and having an enlarged bottom portion forming a drive fit at the lower end of the shank bore, and also embodying an expansible metallic socket portion consisting of an outwardly extending split part of reduced diameter having a central bore adapted to enter the lower end of the tubular metallic handle shaft when the shaft is inserted in the shank bore, the said other part comprising an expanding member adapted when forced into engaging relation with said split socket portion to expand the latter whereby to cause the shaft within the shank bore to expand and frictionally engage the inner walls of the shank bore.

2. In a golf club, a club head portion provided with an elongated shank having a central bore, a tubular metallic handle shaft adapted to fit snugly within said central bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tubular metallic handle shaft within the said bore of the shank and comprising a two-part locking device, one part of which is adapted to be inserted into the shank bore of the club head and having an enlarged bottom portion forming a drive lit at the lower end of the shank bore, the said part comprising also an integral extension on the head portion in the form of a tubular longitudinally split expansible upwardly extending section adapted to enter the lower end of the tubular metallic handle shaft when the shaft is inserted in the shank bore, the other part of the said two-part locking device comprising a head portion adapted to have a frictional sliding fit on the interior bore of the tubular shaft when in engagement with its co-operating locking part of the said two-part locking device and being provided with a conical extension adapted to engage the said split tubular expansible portion of the first said part of the two-part locking device when said parts are assembled whereby to expand the walls of the latter into forcible engaging relation with the tubular metallic handle shaft for locking the latter in the central bore of the shank of the club head.

3. In a golf club, a metallic head portion provided with an integral elongated shank having a central bore, a tubular metallic handle shaft adapted to fit snugly within the said central bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tubular metallic handle shaft within the said bore of the shank, comprising a two-part cooperable locking device, one part of which is adapted to be inserted into the shank bore of the club head to a position of rest and with a drive fit upon the lower end of said shank bore before the shaft is inserted and being provided with an expansible split socketed portion adapted to enter the lower end of the tubular shaft when said shaft is inserted in the shank bore, the other part being of wedge-like form and adapted for insertion through the hollow interior of the tubular metallic handle shaft into wedging en gagement with said split socketed portion.

4. In a golf club, a metallic head portion provided with an integral elongated shank having a central bore, a tubular metallic handle shaft adapted to fit snugly within the said central bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tubular metallic handle shaft within the said bore of the shank, comprising a two-part co-operable locking device, one part of which is adapted to be pressed into frictional contact with the bottom of the said central bore of the shank and providing an outwardly extending reduced tubular portion adapted to engage the interior of the tubular metallic handle shaft, the other part of the locking device comprising a head portion adapted to have a sliding fit on the interior of the tubular metallic handle shaft and having a conical projection adapted to engage the said portion of the first said part of the locking device to expand the latter into engaging relation with the inner walls of the tubular metallic handle shaft for expanding andlocking the shaft in the shank bore.

5. In a golf club, a club head portion provided with an elongated shank having a central tapered bore, a tapered tubular metallic handle shaft adapted to fit snugly within said tapered bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tapered tubular metallic handle shaft within the said tapered bore of the shank comprising a two-part locking device, one part of which is adapted to be inserted into the shank bore of the club head and having an enlarged cylindrical knurled bottom portion forming a drive fit for engaging the lower end of the shank bore and embodying also an outwardly extending expansible slotted meta1- lic socketed portion of a reduced diameter to correspond substantially with the inner bore of the said conical tubular metallic shaft at its lower extremity and entering the lower interior of the shaft when said shaft is driven to its seat toward the bottom of the bore, the outer surface of the last said metallic socketed portion being also knurled, the said other part of the locking device comprising a, cylindrical knurled head adapted to be driven through the bore of the shaft through the upper end thereof to engage the inner bore of said conical tubular metallic shaft adjacent the lower end thereof when the shaft is positioned in the said bore of the shank, and a depending conical-shaped expanding member formed integrally with the said cylindrical portion of the last said part of the locking device and being adapted to engage the said expansible split metallic socket portion on the interior of the shaft when the shaft is driven toward the bottom of the bore to expand the said split socketed part and thereby cause expansion of the shaft within the shank bore and causing frictional engagement thereof with the inner walls of the shank bore.

6. In a golf club, a club head portion provided with an elongated shank having a central tapered bore, a tapered tubular metallic handle shaft adapt-ed to fit snugly within said central tapered bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tapered tubular handle shaft within the said bore of the shank comprising a two-part locking device, one part of which is adapted to be inserted into the shank bore of theclub head and having an enlarged cylindrical bottom portion knurled on its outer periphery for engaging the i lower end of the shank bore and forming a drive fit therewith, the said part embodying also a radially split expansible socket portion of a reduced diameter adapted to correspond with the diameter of the inner bore of the conical tubular metallic handle shaft when insert-ed in the lower end thereof and being knurled on its outer periphery, and the other part of the said locking device comprising an expanding member having a substantially cylindrical knurled head portion adapted to engage the bore of the tubular metallic handle shaft with a frictional drive fit at the lower end of the shaft when introduced into the shank bore and having a depending conically shaped member adapted when forced into engaging relation with said radially split socket portion to expand the latter whereby to cause the shaft within the shank bore to expand and frictionally engage the inner walls of the shank bore.

'7. In a golf club, a club head portion provided with an elongated shank having a central tapered bore, a tapered tubular metallic handle shaft adapted to fit snugly within said central tapered bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tapered tubular handle shaft within the said bore of the shank comprising a two-part locking device, one part of which is adapted to be inserted into the shank bore of the club head and having an enlarged cylindrical bottom portion knurled on its outer periphery for engaging the lower end of the shank bore and forming a drive fit therewith, the said part embodying also a, radially split expansible socket portion of a reduced diameter adapted to correspond with the diameter of the inner bore of the conical tubular metallic handle shaft when inserted in the lower end thereof and being knurled on its outer periphery, and the other part of the said locking device comprising an expanding member having a substantially cylindrical knurled head portion adapted to engage the bore of the tubular metallic handle shaft with a frictional drive fit at the lower end of the shaft when introduced into the shank bore and having a depending conically shaped member adapted when forced into engaging relation with said radially split socket portion to expand the latter whereby to cause the shaft within the shank bore to expand and frictionally engage the inner walls of the shank bore, the outer periphery of the said conical expanding member being circuinferentially grooved to prevent withdrawal of the expanding member from engagement with the radially split metallic socket portion of the said locking means.

8. In a golf club, a club head portion provided with an elongated shank having a central tapered bore, a tapered tubular metallic handle shat adapted to fit snugly within said central tapered bore of the shank, and means for locking the said tapered tubular handle shaft within the said bore of the shank comprising a two-part locking device, one part of which is adapted to be inserted into the shank bore of the club head and having an enlarged cylindrical bottom portion knurled on its outer periphery for engaging the lower end of the shank bore and forming a drive fit therewith, the said part embodying also a radially split expansible socket portion of a reduced diameter adapted to correspond with the diameter of the inner bore of the conical tubular metallic handle shaft when inserted in the lower end thereof and being knurled on its outer periphery and also bevelled externally and internally at its upper radially split extremity, and the other part of the said locking device comprising an expanding member having a substantially cylindrical knurled head portion adapted to engage the bore of the tubular metallic handle shaft with a frictional drive fit at the lower end of the shaft when introduced into the shank bore and having a depending conically shaped member adapted when forced into engaging relation with said radially split socket portion to expand the latter whereby to cause the shaft within the shank bore to expand and frictionally engage the inner walls of the shank bore.

ALFRED E. BUHRKE. ALLEN F. HEETER. 

